Tony Pulis claims he would have had a successful stint at Manchester United if he had been backed financially like Ruben Amorim
Manchester United have had a knack for spending huge amounts of money in the transfer windows. However, recently, we have not seen it match the performances on the field. Erik ten Hag spent more than £600 million on new players during his tenure from May 2022 to October 2024.
We signed players like Antony, Lisandro Martinez and Casemiro, but could not match it up with the performances and results on the field. The fans had a huge amount of expectations after the signings, but could not receive what they wanted to see from their beloved team.
United then sacked Ten Hag and brought Ruben Amorim in November 2024. Initially, it was felt that the Portuguese manager wouldn’t be receiving a big budget in the transfer window due to the FFP rules, but United gave him £200 million of power in the summer window. We signed big names like Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo. Moreover, Benjamin Sesko was yet another big signing for us, followed by a Senne Lammens deal on Deadline day.
Amorim shifted to a new 3-4-2-1 formation in order to change the fate of the team, but did not get the results that he and we would have wanted. The win against Burnley was a breath of fresh air, after Amorim had talked about resigning before that match, but there are still doubts about his future within the board.
Tony Pulis’ comments and controversy:
Tony Pulis claims he would have had a successful stint at Manchester United if he had been backed financially like Ruben Amorim.
Ruben Amorim has received significant backing, with around £200 million spent this summer.
Meanwhile, former Premier League manager Tony Pulis claimed in his podcast ‘The Managers’ that he would have been more successful at United if he had the same financial support as Amorim and Ten Hag. In a conversation with Mick McCarthy, Pulis said that the club has spent heavily on managers in recent years, yet the team has not been formed properly.
The 67-year-old believed that the real difference comes from financial support, and if he had such support, he could prove himself successful. Pulis’s comments have sparked debate as he also said that while owners are often criticised, the club has never been stingy when it comes to finances.
“I find it extraordinary the amount of money that Manchester United have spent and not been able to put a team together. And the managers that they’ve picked, they’ve been given the money, they’ve been given the opportunity.
“That’s all you want is backing. And with that backing, I would back myself to be successful if I’d have had the backing and the amount of money that the club have given
“The owners take a lot of stick and everything else about stuff that’s going on, [but] they’re not a club that hasn’t been backed financially.”
Thoughts on this:
Pulis’s claims sound interesting, but in reality, his style would not have worked at Old Trafford. His career has proven that he has managed to keep clubs stable and away from relegation on a shoestring budget, but stability alone is not enough for an ambitious team like United. They need results, trophies and above all, a playing style that attracts fans. Pulis’s defensive style does not fit United’s identity.
With the £200 million backing that Amorim has received, he is expected to bring his footballing identity to the pitch. His 3-4-2-1 system was a welcome change and, if it finds consistency, could transform the team. However, early performances have been mixed, and despite the win over Burnley, there are questions within the board over his future. So, he might have to adapt to something else. This is where the comparisons to Ten Hag become interesting. Ten Hag’s tactics were often vague, while Amorim implemented his system immediately, but the question is whether it will be successful in the long term.
Supporters want United to be a strong contender in Europe again. Amorim’s communication is clearer than Ten Hag’s, and he is showing professionalism, but all of this will only matter if results show consistency. Claims like Pulis’s can be debated, but the real direction of United now depends on Amorim’s plan and the patience of the board. Amorim is currently on the knife-edge, and he has to produce results consistently if the 40-year-old needs to stick around as the manager.